First Portrait

The First time I met Kate Moss was on 25th October 1988

My doorbell rang and it was the porter to the building of the mansion block I was living in at the time in Earls Court. He said, "there's a young girl at the main door and I'm not sure what she wants, she seems a bit lost"....

I went with him to the main entrance to find this skinny kid who seemed a bit perplexed so I asked her, "can I help you, are you looking for your Mum?" She said, "are you David Ross?" "Yes I am ", I replied. "What can I do for you?" And she said she was told to come and see me by Sarah at STORM Model Agency.

I was quite surprised as she was so young and unaccompanied. I asked her what her name was and she said Kate, only I didn't have her booked in till the following day. Again, I asked her where her mother was and she said she came by herself. "From where?" I asked. "Croydon" she said...

As I now know, it was the school half term at the time and Kate just up and went by train and tube alone to find me as instructed. However, I was not accustomed to photographing teenagers without a chaperone of some kind present and I imagine I felt a lot more uncomfortable than she did at that first meeting.

So this was a delicate situation; while I was not that much older than her, I knew how she would have felt that if I'd said, "go home and get your Mum" . So I apologised to her and said to her that I am simply not allowed to photograph her on her own and she must be accompanied by someone. I felt awful telling her, but she would have to come all the way back with somebody else the following day, as I wasn't prepared for her till then anyway. I suggested that she bring a couple of changes of clothes if she can to give her agent a chance to see a variation.

Anyway, I never thought I'd see that kid again but lo and behold, there she stood the same time the next day on 26th October 1988, on a brisk but clear day with a school friend on my doorstep, ready for her first professional test on camera, as arranged by the agency.

She was a lovely, sweet girl who seemed bewildered initially, I guess. But I told her that she looked great and that she didn't really have to do anything. She soon relaxed, taking direction comfortably.

The rest of course is history.....

Comments

Love Your site man & wonder when you can shoot me.
Contact my agent above to arrange a time
Cheers
CO